This week I was overwhelmed by my responsibilities, the suffering and burdens of others, and the suffering and chaos of the world which I barely feel like I even have the capacity to think about. Anyone else?
This Psalm of David provides truths of God’s character and prayers which realign my weary soul. The Psalm begins with David blessing the personal God. He is “my rock”, “my steadfast love”, “my fortress”, “my stronghold”, “my deliverer”, and “my shield”. All of these attributes of God provide consistency, protection, and a place to hope in a world that feels out of control.
Verse 4 reads “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow”. While I am thankful by God’s common grace I don’t live under the threat of death daily as David did, there is a healthy posturing to recognize the brevity of life that actually brings peace when my heart is eternally focused on the kingdom rather than the world.
In verse 9, David proclaims “I will sing a new song to you, O God”. I am grateful the Lord’s mercies are new every morning, and I have been rescued and delivered from sin and death.
The Psalm ends with a prayer we can cry out individually and collectively for the world:
“May there be no cry of distress in our streets!... Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!”
-Maria Nance